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Last updated: May 2014

A baby shower is a great time for soon-to-be parents to receive the gifts they need to help them get ready for parenthood. Here's our list of top ten baby gifts worth giving new parents.

Baby library

A shelf full of classic children's books is a gift sure to win any parent's heart. Some favorites are Goodnight Moon, Runaway Bunny, and Guess How Much I Love You?.

If you love the idea of giving books, consider making it the theme of the shower: Have everyone bring their favorite with a note to the baby tucked inside. Be sure to mix some baby-friendly board books in with the traditional hardcover variety — that way newborns will be able to truly appreciate the sound and the taste of your gift.

Baby sling or carrier

One of the easiest ways for a new parent to tote a baby around is in a sling or front carrier. Babies love the warmth and feeling of being snuggled up close to Mom or Dad, and the ingeniously simple design leaves a parent's hands free to do housework or errands while their little one sits safely in a makeshift pouch.

Baby "on-the-go" essentials

If you're a parent — or even if you aren't — you know it's virtually impossible to get out of the house without leaving something behind. Help the happy new parents avoid mishaps with a bag full of baby essentials.

Start with a diaper bag; add a couple of diapers, some wipes, an extra outfit (or two) for the baby, a bottle of ready-to-feed formula (if she's formula feeding), a couple of small toys (rattles and chew toys are perfect), and a pacifier. If you want, toss in a movie or other gift just for the new parents.

Baby bath gear

For a gift that's fun and practical, grab a baby tub and fill it with all the things a new parent needs to keep a baby squeaky clean. Include baby shampoo, a mild soap that won't irritate a newborn's sensitive skin, a soft washcloth (or sponge), a hooded towel, and a bright yellow rubber ducky for good measure.

A baby comb and brush are nice additions, as are a couple of simple bath toys, even though an infant won't be able to really play with them for several months. Toss in a bottle of bubble bath for Mom or Dad to use when the baby's asleep, and you're done.

Baby bedding

Soft, fitted bottom sheets are a perfect addition to any nursery. You'll find colors and patterns to suit every family, from traditional pastels dotted with baby animals to bold black-and-whites and geometric patterns. You can be sure that any new parent will be grateful to have extra linens come laundry day.

(Fuzzy blankets pair nicely with sheets, but save them for out-of-the-crib cuddling, as soft bedding is a potential SIDS risk.)

Baby sleep kit

A basket full of things that make the nursery more soothing after dark can help a new parent survive those first few sleep-deprived months. Fill your sleep kit with a comforting nightlight, a soft blanket, and some soothing music made just for babies (For Crying Out Loud and Lullaby: A Collection are great examples). If you want to splurge, include a white noise sound machine or a special mobile that plays music and projects dancing light pictures on nursery walls.

Baby monitor

Nervous first-time moms and dads will appreciate the reassuring presence of a portable baby monitor receiver on their bedside table. These gadgets have become more and more sophisticated — some models can pick up a baby's faintest breaths within a range of 600 feet or more. Other options include motion sensors that sound an alarm if the baby hasn't moved in a certain period time, and video monitors, which let parents see and hear their baby.

Baby bouncy seat

Keep a newborn (and parents) happy with a bouncy seat — the baby can wiggle and jiggle to his heart's content, and parents can squeeze in a chore or two knowing he's safe and entertained. This versatile, portable piece of baby gear features cheerful fabric stretched across a metal or plastic frame, with straps to ensure safety. Some models are battery powered for a rhythmic and more soothing bounce.

Baby activity gym

Babies are enthralled by their environment in general, but you can make it even more fascinating with an activity gym — a contraption that typically includes a cloth mat and toys suspended from soft bars or arches. Colorful mirrors, noisemakers, and other objects of different shapes, sizes, and colors dangle within the baby's grasp, encouraging his developing eyesight and growing physical skills. Portable and lightweight, activity gyms are travel-friendly, whether you're shuttling between rooms or across the country.

Comfort food

Nothing soothes the nerves of exhausted parents more than a warm and delicious homemade meal. But when the beds are still unmade at 5 in the afternoon and the baby's having a good end-of-the-day cry, the last thing a new mom or dad wants to do is cook. So give new parents what they really want — dinner on someone else.

Before you go to the shower, organize a group of the parent-to-be's friends to volunteer to make dinner for the new family after the baby's born. Depending on the number of people involved, you can plan to have hot meals dropped off either nightly or every few days for the first couple of weeks postpartum.

Hey check this out www.babydoppler.ca I have given many of these as gifts. Women in their early stages of pregnancy love them, they get to listen to their baby's heart beat, daddy-to-be's love em too since they cannot feel the baby atleast they can hear their little ones!

The new generation of baby monitors is amazing. We bought one for my sister's baby shower from the Apple store. It's called iBaby monitor. She loves it - apparently it has a lot of useful functions and super easy to set up.

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